Film shoots have an ‘Awkward’ week

Show helps keep L.A. location shooting active

Even though it’s set in Palos Verdes, “Awkward” has helped keep L.A. location shooting remain active with the San Fernando Valley subbing for the South Bay area.

The MTV series, now in its third season, logged 17 days of location shooting last week, according to figures released Tuesday by the FilmL.A. permitting agency, making it the most active sitcom shoot. Shoots took place at Birmingham High School — which is usually used on Sundays — along with a private residence in Northridge and restaurant in Sherman Oaks.

“Awkward,” starring Ashley Rickards as a teen struggling with her identity, occupies two soundstages at a warehouse in Tarzana. An upscale Northridge neighborhood is a popular choice for doubling as Palos Verdes, which has never been used as a location for the series, according to location manager Stuart Neumann.

Sitcoms have been among the strongest area of TV shooting, rising 53% last year to 2,048 days, according to FilmL.A. stats, which showed a 20% decline in the mainstay drama series activity in 2012.

Overall location activity was 12% above last year with gains in TV and features. For the fifth straight week, Warner Bros.’ “Southland” led TV activity with 32 days; other location shoots included “Dexter,” “The Client List,” “Tattoo Nightmares,” “Master Chef,” “New Girl” and “Big Time Rush.” Short film “Sweater Weather” logged the most days in features with 25, followed by indies “Seducing Collision” and “In Embryo.”